Tractor frame



16,1938. E. JOH STON Em. l 2,127,032

.TRACTOR FRAME Original Filed July 5, 19 35 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 16,1938. I E.-A. JOHNSTON fim. 2,127,032

TRACTOR FRAME Original Filed July 5,. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedAug. 16, 1938 TRACTOR FRAME ,Edward A.;Johnston, Chicago, David B.Baker, Riverside, and Qlif ford ,R. Rogers, Oak Park, ,Ill., assignors.to International Harvester Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of NewJersey .Original application July 5, 1935, Serial No. 29,798.'Dividedand this applicationMay 16, 1936,. .Serial No. 80,055

9 Claims. (01. 280-106) The invention relates: to tractors,. and. moreparticularly to an improved frame. or. body construction therefor, thisapplication being a divisional of Patent No. 2,086,807 to Edward A.

gear set and auxiliary power take-off mechanism;

.and, lastly, the rear housing 22 for the final drive The part 20 ispreferably formed in one piece Johnston et al., filed July 5, 1935, forTractors. 5

The main object of the invention is to provide .as a heavy sheet metalstamping, as has been an improved tractorframe which will be rigidstated, said piece at its rear end embodying a and strong and serve tocarry the motor. and all U-shaped or semi-circularly formed saddle parttransmission mechanism .inan improved manner. into Which h Similarly edfront end of Incidental objects .willbecome .apparent to .the middlecast part 2| is fitted. The saddle those skilled-in this-art as'thedisclosure is more portion: 23 of the part -2U is thereupon bolted fullymade. permanently by bolts 24 to the part 2|. 'I'he Briefly, theimproved frameis built up of three front piece odies two lon u na Sidemain parts, the front part constituting. a motor walls 24 and a bottom25, which is formed with carrying bracket, whichislongitudinallydisposed a cut-out opening 26. The bottom of the crank 1and at its rear end is formed .as a saddle to case of the motor,v Whichis Carried by this part receive and be joined rigidly to the front endof a 0, extends a d y th ough this opening 25'. change speed gear boxthat constitutesthe middle e front end o t frame p 0 arries a part ofthe frame. This middle part includes U-shaped a g e bar 21, which iswelded to the an upward extension to serve as.a mount for inner frontedges of the side wall portions 24. 20 certain auxiliary Y powertake-off gearing and Near their front ends the side wall portions 24shafting, the rear end of said middle part further rry n r n v r i nm na p r of s being joined-at its-rear end to the front end of or sleeves,28, having transversely aligned opena relatively wide and largexfinaldrive gear-box, lugs for the purp of ry ng a motor mount constitutingthe third part of the frame or body. bracket, not shown. The inside faceof the oppo- 25 The said rear part is specially constructed to site sidearms, or walls, 24 have each welded make the gearing therein accessiblefor repairs thereto an angle bar 29 providing a horizontal andinspection, with portions thereof mounted .5. ledge, upon which themotor is to be carried. on a quickly removable floor bracket, all aswill The middle unit 2| is formed as a cast, gen- 30 later more fullyappear. erally rectangularly shaped box, closed at its bot- 3O Theimproved frame is shown in the accomtom, the rear upper portion thereofbeing flat panying sheets of drawings, wherein: and, havingformedtherein a large opening 39, Figure 1 is ageneral plan view-ofthe frame;while the forward portion of the box 2| is ex- Figure 2 is a sideelevational view thereof; tended upwardly, as at 3|, to provide anauxiliary Figure 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view compartment fora pulley take-off, said upward 35 taken along the line 3--3 of Figurev1, looking in extension 3| having aligned side openings 32 the directionof the arrows; formed therein for the purpose of carrying a "Figure 4 isa transverse cross-sectional view shaft. The left hand side of the part2| below taken along the line 4-6 of Figure 2, looking in the upwardextension 3| carries a transverse the direction of the arrows; '-bOss,33, which is bored to receive and journal a 4" Figure 5 is a transversecross-sectional view transverse rock-shaft used for releasing thecoltaken along the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking ,lar that controls anengine clutch, not shown. in the direction of the arrows; The flange atthe top of thepart 2| surrounding Figure 6 is atransversecross-sectional view the opening 30 is provided with holes toreceive taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 2, looking a cover plate inthe usual manner. The rear in the direction of'the arrows; and,transverse wall of the part 2| is extended lat- Figure '7 is i asectional view taken along the erally to form a flange 34 to receivebolts 35 for line 11 of Figure 2, looking inthe indicated connecting thepart 2| to the rear or final drive direction. housing 22, which, it willbe noted, is also sub- The main frame, as shown in Figures 1 and 2,stantially rectangular in shape and formed as a 50 embodies three mainparts, as. follows:- First, a cast box, the same being slightly widerthan the front bracket 2|) for supporting the motor of the rear end ofthe part 2|. tractor, said bracket preferably being-stamped The top ofthis rear box 22 has a portion 1 irom-a'heavy sheet ofsteel;..sec ond,an .interclosed by a depressed cover 36, and, forwardly mediate housing-part 2|,forthe change speed thereof, the box top is formed with a largeopen- 55 ing, the cover 36 and opening 31 being surrounded by a machinededge formed with bolt holes, so that a cover housing, not shown, may bebolted in place over the cover 36 and opening 31. This cover housing isshown in the parent application heretofore identified and provides apower takeoff shaft assembly with the cover 36 forming a tight bottom orfloor therefor. The rear end of the part 22 on its top side and alongthe longitudinal median line of the frame has a machined surface 38. Theopposite sides of the part 22 are formed with a bolt-receiving flange 39forming side wall portions delineated by said flange to provide at eachside of the part 22 transversely aligned openings 40 for assembling thefinal drive unit. Centrally between the openings 40 on the longitudinalaxis of the part 22 and integral therewith,- is formed a bearing boxstructure 4i. Between this structure 4| and the front wall of the part22 is a large space 42 for a purpose to appear later.

The front wall of the part 2| is open to afford communication with therear portion of the front motor carrying bracket piece 24, and the rearend of the middle box part 2| is open to afford communication with thefront open end of the rear box part 22, so that the various unitsarranged in the three different frame parts may be operatively connectedtogether. From this it can now be seen that a sturdy, three-piece mainframe is afforded when the three parts are rigidly bolted together toprovide a strong frame or backbone for thetractor.

The forward portion of the fioor of the rear box part 22 is formed witha large opening 43 under the space 42 mentioned, said opening beingclosed by a bottom cover plate 44 secured to the box 22 for quickremoval. This floor cover plate 44 carries a bracket structure 45secured to the plate 44 for removal therewith, said bracket serving inthe tractor to support and journal certain shafts and gears not hereinshown.

When the three main parts 20, 2| and 22 are bolted together in themanner described, there is provided a rigid main frame forming thelongitudinal backbone of the tractor with which it is used. The frontbracket part 20 serves as a motor mount, and the rear saddle partthereof merges into the front portion of the intermediate part 2| toprovide a bell housing for the master or engine clutch, with the changespeed gear set located in the rear portion of the part 2|. The upperextension 3| thereof forms a suitable place for. a pulley take-offassembly, the drive shaft for which may be mounted in the openings 32described.

The rear box part 22 encloses and carries the final drive transmissiongearing for the traction supports, such as wheels or crawlers, and onetrain of gearing passes up through the opening 3'5 into an upper coverhousing, not shown, and mounted above the cover 36 for driving a powertake-off shaft arrangement, a portion of which may be carried on the pad38 described.

It is intended to cover herein all changes and modifications of thepreferred embodiment disclosed which do not depart from the spirit andscope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A tractor frame having a rear part comprising a substantiallyrectangular box adapted to enclose final drive gearing and having itsfront wall formed with a bolt circle flange, a second transmission boxpart adapted to enclose change speed gearing and located forwardly ofthe rear part and having a flange at its rear end bolted to the boltcircle on the front wall of the rear part, the front portion of saidsecond part being secured to the rear end of a bracket arrangedforwardly of the second part, said bracket being formed of pressed sheetmetal and including rails welded to opposite sides thereof, upon whichrails a motor is adapted to be carried, said bracket at its rear endbeing formed with a saddle portion in which the front end of the secondpart is telescopically fitted, and means securing the saddle tportionrigidly to the front end of the second par 2. A tractor frame having arear part comprising a substantially rectangular box adapted to enclosefinal drive gearing and having its front Wall formed with a machinedbolt circle flange, a second transmission box part located forwardly ofthe rear part and having a flange at its rear end bolted to the boltcircle on the front wall of the rear part, the front portion of saidsecond part being secured to the rear end of a bracket arrangedforwardly of the second part, said bracket at its rear end being formedwith a saddle portion in which the front end of the second part isfitted, means securing the saddle portion rigidly to the front end ofthe second part, said rear part having an opening in its floor, and aplate closing said opening, said plate adapted for carrying shafts andgearing within the said rear part and removable with the plate as aunit.

3. A-longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying a front part, anintermediate part and a rear part arranged in end to end relation fromfront to rear in the order stated, said front part comprising a sheetmetal bracket having means adapted to support a motor and having itsrear end formed as a U-shaped saddle, the intermediate part comprising abox adapted to carry a change speed gear set and including a front endnested in the said saddle, means securing the saddle to the front end ofthe intermediate part, said rear part constituting another box adaptedto carry final drive transmission gearing, and means for securing therear end of the intermediate part to the front end of the rear part.

4. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying a front part, anintermediate part and a rear part arranged in end to end relation fromfront to rear in the order stated, said front part comprising a shallowbracket having means adapted to support a motor and provided with arelatively deep rear end formed as a semi-circular saddle, theintermediate part comprising a box adapted to carry a change speed gearset and including a front end nested in said saddle so that the latteroverlaps the sides of the box, means securing the front end of the boxand saddle rigidly together, the rear part constituting another box ofrelatively greater width than the rear end of the intermediate box part,said rear box adapted to carry final drive transmission gearing andhaving its front end bolted to rear flanges provided at the rear end ofsaid intermediate part.

5. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying a front part, anintermediate part and a rear part arranged in end to end relation fromfront to rear in the order stated, said front part comprising a shallowbracket having means adapted to support a motor and provided with arelatively deep rear end formed as a substantially semi-circular saddle,the intermediate part comprising a box adapted to carry a change speedgear set and including a front end overlapped at its sides by saidsaddle and secured rigidly thereto, said intermediate part including ahousing extension extending upwardly a substantial distance above theupper end of the saddle, said extension adapted to carry and housegearing for an auxiliary power take-off means, and the rear partconstituting a box secured to the intermediate part and adapted to housefinal drive mechanism.

6. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying means at its forwardend adapted to carry a change speed gear set and a motor, a reartransmission box included in the frame, said box being substantiallyrectangular and having a closed top provided with an opening near itsfront end, and a depressed cover portion in said top disposed rearwardlyof the opening, said depressed cover portion and opening beingsurrounded by a finished bolt circle flange, and said depressed coverportion adapted to serve as the floor for a dry clutch compartmentadapted to be bolted to said bolt circle flange.

'7. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying means at itsforward end adapted to carry a change speed gear set and a motor, a reartransmission box included in the frame, said box being substantiallyrectangular and having a closed top provided with an opening near itsfront end, a depressed cover portion in said top disposed rearwardly ofthe opening, said depressed cover portion and opening being surroundedby a finished bolt circle flange, the depressed cover portion adapted toserve as the floor for a dry clutch compartment adapted to be secured tosaid bolt circle flange and a finished pad on said top at its rear edgedisposed along the longitudinal median line of the box adapted to carrya support for a longitudinally rearwardly extending power take-ofishaft.

8. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying means at its forwardend adapted to carry a motor and an intermediate portion rear- Wardlythereof adapted to house a change speed gear set, said frame including asubstantially rectangular rear box part having a top and a bottom floorformed with an opening, a cover plate removably fastened to the bottomfloor on its under side to close said opening, and a shaft mount bracketcarried on said plate and removable therewith downwardly out of saidopening.

9. A longitudinal elongated tractor frame embodying means at its forwardend adapted to carry a motor and an intermediate portion rearwardlythereof adapted to house a change speed gear set, said frame including asubstantially rectangular rear box part having a top and a bottom floorformed with an opening, a cover plate removably fastened to the bottomfloor on its under side to close said opening, a bracket carried on saidplate within the housing when the plate is in floor opening closingposition, said box being formed with opposite side openings, and asecond shaft mount bracket included in the box and disposed rearwardlyof the floor opening along the longitudinal median line of the box.

EDWARD A. JOHNSTON. DAVID B. BAKER. CLIFFORD R. ROGERS.

